Trainings
Webinars
On this page you will find a collection of additional training resources to help you gain a deeper understanding of how to implement the process successfully!
Implementing Renewable Energy Zones for Integrated Transmission and Generation Planning
In many countries, integrating significant renewable energy to the grid requires new transmission to access the best wind and solar resources and accommodate generation from large projects. The renewable energy zone (REZ) approach provides a policy framework for planning new transmission to encourage utility-scale renewable energy development in areas that have the highest likelihood of being cost-effective. This webinar introduced the REZ approach, including the value of REZ to a power system, crucial components of the REZ process, technical approach to defining REZs using geospatial analysis, and case studies to highlight examples and key lessons for implementing REZ in other parts of the world.
Transmission Planning for a High Renewable Energy Future: Lessons from the Texas Competitive Renewable Energy Zones Process
The webinar provided an overview of the Texas Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) process, including the regulatory, procedural and technical considerations that were critical to its successful implementation in Texas. The webinar also introduced a Renewable Energy Zones “Toolkit” developed through a USAID and NREL partnership and intended to guide other power systems in adapting elements of the CREZ approach to their own power system planning processes.
Technical Potential Tutorial Series
This three-part tutorial series introduces technical potential analysis, describes how technical potential is assessed, and familiarizes viewers with the Technical Potential geospatial analysis tool on RE Data Explorer, the flagship tool from RE Explorer. The tutorial concentrates on renewable energy technical potential for wind and solar and answers the key questions: What is technical potential? How is technical potential assessed? How can I use RE Data Explorer to assess technical potential?
Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE): An Overview
This training video introduces levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and why it is important for data-driven decision making in energy planning. The training explains how to calculate LCOE of the electricity generating assets and describes key parameters, sensitivities, and some of its limitations. Example applications, analyses, and results are provided as well as an introduction to the Transparent Cost Database. This video was developed as part of a remote training series for the Energy Alternatives Study for the Lao PDR within the Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong Program. This video concentrates on RE resources and answers the key questions: What is LCOE? How is LCOE calculated? What are its applications, limitations, sensitivities, and parameters?